Hale, Kat and the Kitty Cat
by RoseWynter
Summary: What happens when Hale decides to adopt a stray kitten? One things's for sure, Kat isn't the only Kitty Kat in the house anymore.
1. Hale, Kat and the Kitty Kat

**Disclaimer: Heist Society and all its characters belong to Ally Carter, only this story belongs to me :)**

**AU:**

**Just a little idea that popped into my mind. This is set after Perfect Scoundrels and I apologize beforehand if the characters are slightly OOC. **

**So, without further ado, I present... **

Hale, Kat and the Kitty Cat:

Katarina Bishop stood in her Uncle's brownstone kitchen, her arms crossed, eyebrows drawn together and a confused frown on her lips.

She wasn't a girl accustomed to being confused.

And the source of her confusion lay purring and curled in a ball on her boyfriend's lap.

'What do you think Kat?' W.W Hale the Fifth asked, his eyes twinkling playfully.

'Do you even know how to take care of a kitten?' was her reply.

Hale stroked the ginger kitten softly earning another contended purr. 'I think it will be a _great_ learning experience.'

The life of a thief was hectic and left little personal time for Kat so she had never known what it was like to own a pet. From a young age she was taught not to become too attached to things. But things had changed a lot since she had met Hale.

Kat shrugged and reached a hand out to pet the kitten and she had to admit, it was pretty cute.

'So? What about it?' Hale asked again.

He knew she was about to cave in.

'Okay fine,' Kat sighed, a small smile appearing on her face.

Hale grinned and leaned forward to place a small peck on Kat's cheek.

'I hope you children aren't forgetting whose house you are in,' a deep voice chuckled from the doorway, but it was only half-joking.

The two teenagers broke apart hastily and Kat tried to cover up the blush that was spreading across her cheeks.

But it was impossible to hide anything from Uncle Eddie.

'_What _is that?' Eddie asked, staring at the kitten on Hale's lap as if it was a slimy, blue alien.

'I believe it's called a kitten,' Hale replied.

'I know what it is,' Eddie snapped, 'but why is it in my house? Don't you children know I'm allergic to cats?'

Kat turned to gape at him. 'You're kidding, right?'

'I think you know that I hardly ever _kid_, Katarina.'

'Wow. The great Uncle Eddie has a weakness,' Hale laughed.

He scooped the kitten from his lap and into his strong, muscled arms. 'To my house then. I'm sure Marcus can find a bed for this little guy.'

Kat began following Hale out of the house when Uncle Eddie reached out his arm and stopped her. He began speaking in a voice so low that only Kat's perfectly trained ears could hear him.

'I was lying, I'm not allergic. But cat fur is impossible to get out of these carpets.'

Kat smiled and rolled her eyes, then walked out of the door and towards her boyfriend's limousine.


	2. The Bubbly Terror

**Part Two**

Kat sighed and fell back onto the silky covers of the king-sized bed. She was exhausted, filthy and scratched all over. Even though she was the girl that broke into the Henley, the girl that stole the Cleopatra Emerald and the girl that saved a billion-dollar company, she was beginning to think that the most difficult thing she had ever done was attempt to wash a hostile, ginger kitten.

_A few hours before:_

The limousine slowed to a halt in front of one of Hale's many mansions. This one was one of Kat's favourites though. It was smaller than most of his homes and more…_warm_. Whenever Kat told Hale this, he just flashed her one of his charming, roguish smiles and told her it was because she was there.

'I've prepared a bed for the kitten, sir,' Marcus informed Hale as soon as they had stepped into the main foyer.

He led them to a guest bedroom in the left wing of the mansion that overlooked a beautiful rose garden, complete with its own large pond. A small, stone fireplace crackled in the corner of the room, casting and ember glow on a large, ebony bed and an ornate dresser.

A luxurious cat bed had been placed beside the dresser, complete with plush, satin cushions and a large canopy above it.

'I know humans who have worse beds than that Hale,' Kat pointed out.

The young billionaire shrugged and walked towards it, stooping down and gently placing the kitten in the middle of the cushions. Kat thought that it was a shame Hale was an only child. He would have a made a wonderful older brother.

'What are we going to do with him?' Kat asked.

Hale stroked his chin in thought. 'We should probably wash him first.'

'Have you ever washed a kitten before?' Kat raised an eyebrow.

'Your lack of faith hurts,' Hale said, placing a hand on his chest in mock hurt.

Kat rolled her eyes. 'Back to my question?'

'I instructed Marcus to fill the bathroom sink with water. He also bought some shampoo that's safe to use on kittens.'

Kat was beginning to think that Marcus was secretly superman. He was too efficient to be human.

'What are we waiting for, then?' Kat smiled.

Hale crouched down again and picked up the kitten.

Kat moved towards the door and held it open for Hale and together, they made their way to the nearest bathroom.

Kat stepped into the bathroom first. Like every other room in Hale's house, it was large, tastefully decorated and had been scrupulously cleaned.

The white basin set into the marble countertop had been half-filled with water and foamy bubbles floated on the edges of the basin.

Kat heard Hale swear loudly and she turned around to see the kitten leap from his grasp. She hurtled towards the bathroom door and managed to get it shut before the kitten escaped through. The kitten changed his course and instead ran towards the open window. Hale leaped forward and caught the furry animal in his arm before he escaped. The kitten made a few angry hissing sounds and swiped at Hale's arm.

Beads of blood appeared on Hale's skin as the kitten's claws made contact. Hale stood up calmly and walked towards the basin whilst the kitten struggled helplessly in his grip. Slowly, he lowered the kitten into the water and raised his eyebrows hopefully at Kat when the animal didn't make a further attempt to escape. Kat began walking forward to help Hale wash the kitten when a blur of ginger skin pounced at her face. Bubbles and water went flying everywhere and Kat felt something collide with her face. Her vision was orange and in all her years of experience as being a thief, nothing could have trained her for a hostile kitten pouncing at her face. She stumbled backwards, slipped on a puddle of water and fell hard on her bottom. She felt Hale prise the kitten off her face and groaned as she felt something warm trickle down the side of her face.

The kitten was meowing loudly as Hale place it in the water a second time, thought now he was holding it more firmly. Kat pushed herself up and inspected her face in the mirror. Her short brown stuck out in odd angles and a thin, angry red scratch ran down one side of her face.

'Are you ready for the second round Kitty Kat?' Hale asked with a grin.

Kat wasn't sure if he was talking to her or the kitten.


	3. Fun with First Aid

**So this chapter is basically Hale and Kat fluff but it gets a little heavy. Nothing too explicit though ****hopefully **

**hehehe. Enjoy ;)**

'Knock knock,' Hale grinned from the doorway.

He was leaning against the doorframe with a medical kit in one hand and a playful smile lighting up his handsome features.

Kat was too tired to reply. She sunk back into the silky sheets of the guest bedroom and closed her eyes, trying to remember a Tibetan relaxation exercise her father had taught her when she was seven.

'You look terrible,' Hale chuckled.

'Thanks, Hale. I'm sure girls _love _hearing that from their boyfriends.'

That earned another warm chuckle.

She heard him moving towards her and a second later she felt the mattress cave slightly under his weight. Her senses—heightened from years of being a thief—were suddenly on high alert.

A small gasp left her mouth as Hale moved closer, his leg brushing against hers.

'Where's the kitten?' she stuttered, trying distract herself.

She mentally slapped herself. It had only taken a few seconds with Hale to turn herself from a cool, calculative thinker to a blushing _girl. _

'He's asleep,' Hale replied. 'Kat?'

She shuddered slightly at how husky Hale's voice suddenly sounded.

'Yes,' her reply was barely a whisper.

'You've got a cut on your cheek,' he replied absentmindedly.

She heard his arm shift and her eyes snapped open.

Kat sighed as Hale softly stroked his finger across the angry, red scratch on her cheek. She felt small sparks erupt where his finger trailed across her skin.

Hale snapped his finger back suddenly, as if he had just realised what he was doing.

'We should probably disinfect that,' he cleared his throat hastily.

Kat nodded, unable to form coherent sentences.

She closed her eyes again as Hale dabbed at her cut with a cotton swab, grimacing slightly as the disinfectant on swab made her cut sting.

Hale moved on to the other cuts on her face, dabbing at them with antagonizing slowness. All the time, Kat was painfully aware of how close Hale's lips were to hers. He smelled like peppermint and aftershave; an intoxicating combination. She frowned when she felt him stop and slowly opened her eyes again. His face was so close she could count the long, slender eyelashes farming his impossibly large eyes.

'Kat,' he whispered for the second time, his voice heavy with…_desire._

She didn't wait for him to continue.

In one, fluid motion she closed the distance between their lips, crushing herself against him hungrily.

He stood still, and for a terrifying second Kat thought he was going to break the kiss and reject her like that day in the limo. But then he made a low, desperate noise in the back of his throat and deepened the kiss. They battled for dominance, and their bodies touched base at several strategic locations. Hales tongue darted across her lower lip, begging for permission to enter and Kat let out a small moan before she could stop herself. She parted her lips willingly, feeling herself melt at the heat of their kiss. One of Hale's hands stroked Kats short locks whilst the other rubbed small circles on her forearm.

A loud meowing noise came from the doorway, interrupting them.

The two teenagers broke apart abruptly, their faces flushed and their breathing ragged.

They both turned their heads at the same time to stare at the small, ginger kitten in the doorway.

'I thought you said he was asleep,' Kat grinned.

'Kitty Kats always have a way of surprising me,' he winked playfully and eased off of her.

Kat felt her smile widen.

She could get used to this whole kitten business.


	4. Playing Dirty

**Part 4:**

**A/N: Ok…so this is really short, I know :/ but it's a little interlude to the heist that I am about to write in the next chapter:) I can't wait to write about the rest of the crew, I've missed them haha. Thank you so so so so much for the faves, reviews and follows. It means so much to me 3 Enjoy!**

'Hale, _no_,' Kat sighed.

W.W Hale the Fifth's pout deepened. 'Why not?' he replied.

Kat was in dangerous territory. Hale was as skilled at pouting as Kat was skilled at running a con.

'Because this 'job' in Australia is no place to take a kitten,' Kat folded her arms across her chest sternly.

Hale rose from his chair in one fluid motion and closed the distance between them. Kat felt his cool breath on her cheeks when he spoke again.

'You haven't had problems tagging along strays in the past,' he murmured.

'This has nothing to do with Nick,' Kat rolled her eyes.

A small smile tugged at the edges of his lips. 'I was talking about me.'

Kat's eyes widened as Hale brought his hand to her chin, tilting her head up as he ran his thumb softly across her bottom lip.

'Please,' he whispered, his golden eyes darkening with an unrecognisable emotion.

Kat found that she had forgotten how to form coherent sentences. She just nodded.

Hale's smile widened and he crushed his lips against hers, drinking her in. Kat felt her limbs turning to mush as he nipped at her bottom lip gently. But before he had a chance to deepen the kiss, Kat shoved her hands against his chest, pushing him away. Kat was furious at him but more angry at herself for turning into such a…_girl. _

'That wasn't playing fair,' Kat accused, glaring at him despite the pleasant tingle that still remained on her lips.

Hale smirked

'We're thieves Kitty Kat. I though playing dirty was the whole point.'

Kat's glare intensified.

'Ok. I'm sorry,' Hale raised his hands in surrender. 'I just hate the idea of leaving that little thing all alone in this mansion.'

Kat softened slightly at that. She recognised a broken echo of the small, lonely boy Hale had once been in his tone. Kat had to remind herself that he was the little thing all alone in the mansion once upon a time.

'Fine,' she rolled her eyes, walking up to him.

She slowly laced her hand through his and glanced up at his face.

Hale smiled. A full, heart-stopping smile that tugged at the pit of Kat's stomach.

He hooked his other arm around her back and pulled her closer, placing a firm kiss on her forehead.

'Time to go _down_ _under_,' he grinned.


End file.
